How to Use IPSW files

IPSW stands rather simply for iOS Software, and IPSW files are basically just individual firmware downloads for specific iOS devices. These files can be used to update iOS devices manually with the help of iTunes. If you’ve recently downloaded an iOS IPSW file, you might be curious how to use it to update your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. Using IPSW is often considered advanced but it’s actually pretty easy, just follow along with these directions and you’ll be along your way.

Before using a firmware file to update, you will want to backup the iOS device to be safe.

How to Use IPSW Files

You can use IPSW files on Mac or Windows, both require iTunes to work properly. To use the latest version of IPSW firmware files to update or restore an iOS device, you’ll want to be sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed as well.

Connect your iPhone or iOS device to your computer

Select the device in iTunes

On a Mac, hold down the “Option” key and then click on “Update”

On a Windows PC, hold down “SHIFT” key and then click on “Update”

Select the IPSW file you downloaded and click “Choose”

Let the iOS device update as usual

Going the IPSW route can take longer to update than using the newer OTA (over the air) method, the reason being that OTA uses smaller delta updates than the larger IPSW files, which are the full sized downloads and are often literally 10x the download size.

You can also click on “Restore” and select an IPSW instead but you will lose the existing files and settings on your iOS device. If you go that route, do not forget to backup beforehand.

Why use IPSW?

Though the average user is better off going the easy routes of updating iOS with iTunes or OTA, IPSW can have very practical uses as well. A significant advantage to using firmware files can be found for users with limited access to broadband internet, where downloading a software update on a remote faster connection makes more sense. Typically you would then copy that IPSW file to a USB key or DVD to bring it home to manually update a device. Also, for users with many of the same iOS devices, having a single IPSW downloads let’s you conserve bandwidth by applying a single update to many devices.

Rarely, firmware files are required to restore a malfunctioning iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that is basically bricked, but still functional. This is somewhat rare, but if an iOS update is interrupted it can happen, which usually requires a device be placed into DFU mode and restored manually with firmware. Typically a normal iTunes based restore is sufficient, which is why that is fairly rare.

Finally, there are some cases where IPSW is necessary to create custom configured firmware for future restores. This typically ties in with the “Restore” method of updating, which allows the use of custom IPSW files, and is generally something created with a third party application like PwnageTool or sn0wbreeze. This is almost exclusively relevant to those who jailbreak and unlock their hardware though, and for the average user the standard IPSW files available from Apple work just fine.

Where do you get IPSW files?

We have several comprehensive lists of iOS IPSW files hosted from Apple’s servers, you can see them all and access the downloads from the following places:

Note that each list includes all iOS versions after 3.0. Not all versions of iOS IPSW will work on all devices, so be sure to select the proper version for your hardware, and to use the latest which is supported.

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95 Comments

It’s worth noting that if you have multiple iOS devices to update, downloading all of the updates via the direct links and placing the resulting ipsw files into “~/Library/iTunes/(iPad/iPod/iPhone) Updates” will let you update the devices much faster as iTunes won’t download more than one update at a time.

Perhaps next time you could insert, “how to backup a original ispw file” on a brand new ipod Touch 4Gen. It would be nice to backup the original file rather than Downloading some other file which may or may not be compatible. That question brought me here in my search, but it was not discussed.
Thank You.

Thanks for writing this. I searched the entire internet, and a lot of folks did not explain this as simple as you did. Thanks. One other point to note is that Apple sends the files as zip files and you have to rename them .ipsw

Norman,
Thank you so much for noting that you have to rename file as an .ipsw I have been trying all day to restore to an older version and the firmware i download doesnt show up. I will give that a try

I’m new to this, but have successfully downgraded from 4.3 to 4.1 (my shsh blobs had been saved. My question though is this: Is there a difference between cutom .ipsw files and restore.ipsw files. I’ve been reading different sites and those two term are used a lot.

to rename zip file go into control panel click on folder options click on view tab on top then unselect hide extensions for known file types click apply then ok then change zip by right clicking then rename change zip to ipsw

[…] (Mac OS X) and click on the restore button within iTunes. You can read more about using IPSW files here if you are not sure. Tags: download 4.3.4 for ipod 2, download and install 4.3.4, download iOS […]

hi there i have a question to address..
rite now i am using ipod touch gen4 with ios 4.3.3
recently i have downloaded the newest ios5.ipsw
i have installed cydia and installous on my ipod
how can i update my ios4.3.3 into ios5 and how to jailbreak it then ?
tyvm for the asnwer

What to do: restore iPod to most recent backup,
use ipsw to update to software 5.1.1,
use redsn0w to jailbreak TETHERED,
then follow this guide:
Go to cydia and let it install – once done go back into cydia and download rocky raccoon 5.1.1 untether

Zaid, I did the same for my 4g and it woked out!
try to get a wifi coverage with the at&t simcard inserted then follow the prompt to activate your phone using your wifi connection. If you have an at&t sim card it should work just fine after the activation.
but if you have another sim card it doesn’t matter whether You had unlocked before the update, you’ll have to unlock it again!

I have an iphone 4S i tried to reboot it two days back and while doing so it got stuck on the boot logo and it is still not moving any further. I tried to google it, and all i could do was ‘restore’. I tried to download the iOS 5.0.1 version from itunes, and it takes forever. I’m now downloading it from the link above. What do i do after renaming to ipsw file? What do i do to get it on my iphone?

I have an iPhone 4 running on iOS 4.0.2. Apparently, I’ve lost my passcode. I need to reset/restore the phone to factory defaults.

Downloaded iOS 4.0.2 IPSW file and tried to restore using the file but I kept getting a 3194 error. I also downloaded IPSW file for the latest firmware version (iOS 5.1). The first time I tried restoring using this it took more than 7hrs before I decided to kill the task via task manager.

Now, I’m getting the same 3194 error while using the new iOS 5.1 file.

i have an iphone 2g, it is already jailbreaked. is it ok to upgrade the software of this iphone from 3.1.2 to 3.1.3? can i might encounter any problems after upgrading? pleas im here inmanila philippines…e help me…

After I have installed IOS6 my contact are no longer visible on my iPhone 3GS. In iCloud they are still there, but synchronizing with iTunes doesn’t bring a solution. Want to downgrade to IOS 5.1.1 and downloaded iPhone1,2_4.2.1_8C148_Restore.ipsw for 3GS version 4.2.1. Trying to restore results in message that the firmware is not compatible? Can anybode explain me what I’am doing wrong? Please help!

i hv upgraded to ios 6.0.1 and i hav ipsw file for ios 6.0.1 and 6.0
but wen i try to jailbreak if i choose 6.0 file it says ” error choose a523″ which is ios 6.0.1 ipsw file
if i choose 6.0 ipsw file it says “file not compatible wid this redsn0w”
sum1 plz help me….its lyk night mare if i cnnt jailbreak dis ios 6.0.1
sum1 plz specify what to do ???

[…] to know or care about their device being GSM or CDMA. This is really mostly helpful to those who use IPSW (IPSW is iOS firmware, basically the iPhone system software) to either update a device manually, […]

As I discovered the hard way, in order to upgrade your iPhone OS using an .ipsw file with iTunes, your PC must have an active internet connection, surprisingly. And it does not suffice to just tether off your iPhone for this. In my case, near the end of the installation procedure, after the old OS had been wiped, iTunes gave an error saying it couldn’t connect to the Apple server. Well, duh! So now my iPhone was stuffed. Unbootable. I had to take it to an Apple Store to get the OS installed.

Hi downloaded ipsw file with explorer got many files in folder. Restore file big file smaller files. Wich one to change. Plsto. Ipsw.try to make costom ipsw with redsnow.say it does not apear to be a ipsw file can not parce file.after i ziped files as one and put. Ipsw iafter it heeeeeeelp

Everytime i do ipsw update with my itunes i get a 3194 error code. what does this mean and how do i fix this. usually i would to download another file sometimes over 1 gig file. please someone clarify me

[…] As”, ensuring the file extension is .ipsw in order for it to work properly. Though updating with IPSW isn’t too complicated, it is not considered a necessary procedure to know how to do, and most users should stick with the […]

hey guys need some real help..
My phone is jailbreaked and I am having with me a ios 6.1 ipsw file for iphone 4 and i want to restore it from that only but itunes is showing an error 3194..
As i have some brodband issues so wont be able to direct restore from itunes so can anyone help me plz ?

[…] Those who prefer to update manually can use IPSW from the direct download links below that are hosted on Apple’s servers. Using IPSW with an Apple TV requires a USB cable and iTunes, and is the same process as with other iOS devices. […]

sir,i am jailbrak my ipad successfuly after some time. i am erase all data and reset my ipad. now its stop on apple logo and after battery is low and i connect to charger is not work.please give solution

Sir, I am trying to factory reset my iPad2 but iTunes got frozen after the SW reinstallation. As soon as the firmware starts to install it looks that there is no progress anymore on the apple progress bar on the iPad. After one hour I receive a message “could not reset your iPad for an unknown reason”. What I am doing wrong?
It is an iPad2, model A1396, Wi-Fi + 3G (GSM)

How can I choose the right ipws file for my iPad?
Why iTunes does not install automatically the firmware?
All information is welcome. Thanks.

Thanks! This was a last resort for me cause I have an iPad that would not update/restore because of a network issue at apple. So i just downloaded the latest 8.4.1 ipsw file and option-clicked on the “restore” button, and it worked! Nothing with apple is ever this fast (NOT counting the “Apple normal OTA” way I tried for 2 f****ng days before…)

Apple should spend more time using this stuff, instead of just selling it.

i am currentley on ios 9.3 public beta (iphine 6). If i update using an IPSW with Itunes, can I then still use the over the air updates in the future on my iphone or do i have to keep installing the IPSW’s.

You should only download and use IPSW from Apple. If the links to the IPSW files do not point to Apple servers (typically appldnld.apple.com), you should not download them. We link to IPSW which are hosted at Apple servers for each iOS version, including iOS 9.3.3, here: